Yellow Page Advertising: DOES IT work?
I talk a lot about sales (cause that what you want to hear), but if you have read my bio you know that I have a long background in (selling) advertising and creating marketing campaigns.
Around this time of year, many of us are getting calls from all potential advertising mediums. It is difficult to be able to decide where to put your (hard earned) advertising dollars to attract your potential client. I wrote a two-part synopsis about this on The Smart Planner which is now Think Splendid.
However, this blog post is about Yellow Page advertising. Instead of me giving you advice on how to spend your dollars with this medium, I would like to instead poll YOU for discussion.
So, please add a comment with your personal experience on this type of advertising. I’m sure it will be a good read for all of us. Please answer the following questions in your comment:
- What is your profession?
- Have you used Yellow Page advertising before?
- Did you purchases print and online?
- If yes, what type of ad did you take out (display or just your company name/number listing)?
- How did it work out for you? Did you track your calls and were they qualified potential clients or something else?
- Are you still incorporating this medium in your current advertising program?
- OR… you’ve NEVER done YP advertising and if so, why not?
You can answer anonymously or with your company information. I think the feedback will help others in our industry. Let’s find out if the “fingers do the walking” is working for our businesses!
Happy Selling!
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I’ll start:
I’m an event planner that does both weddings & corporate events. I’m going into my 7th year. I initially took out just a listing (bold) with my company name and phone number to primarily target potential corporate clients, as most of my weddings come from the Internet or referrals.
The first year I decided to publish, they messed it up so it was free. Very few phone calls, mostly people looking for a job or clients that were COMPLETELY out of my service pricing. It was in two categories, I received zero corporate calls.
The second year I paid for the listing; small investment monthly but it adds up when you look yearly. I received a handful of calls for people looking for a job, vendors looking to add their business to my referral list and a few (like 2-3) that were clients that could not afford my services. And about 5 calls from people getting married who wanted free advice.
I never paid for their internet advertising. I blog, and do not need it plus it is grossly overpriced.
I have since cut out all Yellow Page advertising and haven’t looked back since.
Besides their horrible CS the first two years I did business with them (never got placement right, blamed it on everything but themselves), the ads never worked for me (in Invitations). I had one call in three years. ONE. Year 1 was an expanded text listing, years 2 and three display ads. I didn’t purchase online because it only would have moved me up one spot on the page they were trying to sell. I cancelled my ad for this year (much to my reps surprise, LOL) and haven’t regretted it at all. I only did as many years as I did because year 2 was essentially 1/2 price after year one’s fiasco, and was offered a fairly good deal on the display ad (I think anyway).
I’m a wedding planner and educator who specializes in gay weddings.
Have you used Yellow Page advertising before? – no
Did you purchases print and online? – Neither
If yes, what type of ad did you take out (display or just your company name/number listing)? NA
How did it work out for you? Did you track your calls and were they qualified potential clients or something else? NA
Are you still incorporating this medium in your current advertising program? NA
OR… you’ve NEVER done YP advertising and if so, why not?
I’ve never done it because it’s too broad of a medium and not specific enough for my tiny niche – the same way I don’t advertise on TheKnot.com. I need advertising that is ultra-targeted so I have advertised in The Pink Pages and on their website, as an example.
I’m probably not the best person to ask!
I am a wedding planner who has never advertised in the Yellow Pages. I don’t think people use the yellow pages much these days, if at all, due to the internet. I started my business in 2005 so the internet was/is the go to place to find businesses. So I focused my advertising with online companies that were specific to weddings (i.e. The Knot, Wedding Wire, etc.)
1. What is your profession?
wedding/event planner
2. Have you used Yellow Page advertising before?
nope
7. OR… you’ve NEVER done YP advertising and if so, why not?
I’ve asked my brides – they never use a phone book. And most even said they don’t own one! With so many wedding-specific resources (print and web), there’s just no demand for the YP anymore.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by saundrahadley: Yellow Page Advertising: DOES IT work? http://su.pr/80ApbU…
i’m a photographer and have never used YP advertising.
when i was looking for a photographer the first place I looked is online because i wanted to see pictures…
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